The road less traveled
by demonic hellfire
Summary: A chance encounter before Jade leaves Gotham sends her on a different path. AU. On hiatus


I don't own anything

A street in the Cauldron

Jade looked around the nearly deserted street, she needed to find a ride out of Gotham and stealing cash was the quickest way for her to do it. The only people out were three thugs –an Asian man, a black man, and a white man with shades. As she hid from them she overheard their conversation. "Bull there is no way you killed him within thirty seconds of Superman leavin'."

"I ain't lyin' about that." Shades countered.

"Yeah I call bull on that." The Asian shook his head then grinned. "I still can't get over the fact that we toppled Tynanda with nothing more than a Tiger." Jade gasped she had heard of the coup d'état from her dad. These three men alone overthrew a country they sounded a lot better than the Shadows.

"Yeah, it's messed up what the Shadows are willin' to do. I mean massacre a village just for helpin' rebels." The African-America nodded.

"Not as fucked up as Lawrence shootin' his own wife to escape the cops." The Asian spat.

The man in shade stopped in front of Jade's hiding place. "He told his kids that the cops shot Pamela."

"Now how do you know that?" The Asian asked.

"His oldest is hidin' in the alley." Shades walked towards Jade.

"You freak me out when you do that." The African American said.

"I know." Shades smirked.

Jade walked came out of the alleyway. "You really overthrew Tyntanda with a wildcat?"

That caused the men to laugh. "No, we used a World War Two tank called a Tiger." The Asian explained.

"Kid you may think you know all of your old man's skeletons, but the fact of the matter is he has one of the worse ones possible. He once used his target's newborn as bait and after killin' the man he killed the baby as well. As for him shootin' Pamela stuff like that spreads like fire on the grapevine." Shades growled.

Jade collapsed to the ground crying. Her father wasn't the nicest man in the world she knew that. However what he had done repulsed her.

"Tommy you had to bring that up?" The African American admonished Shades.

"Just showin' her how much of a bastard her father really is Natt." Tommy shrugged.

"Come on kid I think Tommy will be willin' to let you stay with him for the night." The Asian helped Jade to her feet. Jade nodded thinking about what Shades had said.

* * *

Two Days Later

Behind Noonan's Bar

"You really are going to train her?" Natt asked.

Tommy nodded as he watched Jade practice what her father had taught her. "Yeah, I am. She needs some work, but I can see her become a great fighter."

"Not one of us?"

"She doesn't have the stomach to kill a man in cold blood."

Natt's eyes widen, "That's why you told her about her father killin' the baby."

"Yeah. I needed to know if her father had had her kill anyone yet."

"So what kind of trainin' are you thinking of?"

"What they sent us through in the corps, and see what a favor can do." Tommy stated as Jade walked towards them.

* * *

One Month Later

Deserted Warehouse

Lawrence Crock glanced around the warehouse. He had received orders to come here for his next assignment. "Ra's is disappointed in you Sportsmaster." Crock's skin crawled.

"I've done everything the Shadows have asked me to do." Crock countered.

"Then why hasn't your eldest daughter managed to get out of Gotham?"

"I have no idea how that is my fault." Crock looked around for any sign of the person.

"You did not train her good enough." The voice stated.

As Sportsmaster started to rebut that claim a shot rang out and Lawrence dropped to the cement floor.

* * *

Crock Household same night

Artemis was sleeping soundly when a hand shook her awake. "Come on kid the cops will be here soon."

Artemis got out of her bed quickly. "Where's my dad?"

"Dead."

Artemis froze for a half second. "How did he die?"

"A cop blew his brains out."

Artemis held back tears. Sure her dad wasn't the best, but now the cops had taken away both her parents. "Those dirtbags. I'll kill every one of them."

"Not now when you're older." The voice stated.

Artemis finished packing her meager belongs up and looked at the man closely for the first time. He had white hair and was his shirt had the head of an animal inside of a red circle.

* * *

Two hours later

Abandoned Warehouse

Harvey Bullocks lit a cigar. "Don't see how this happened."

Renee Montoya lifted up the sheet covering the body of Sportsmaster. "Single shot back of head pointblank range. You're right Bullocks, there's no way someone as good as Sportsmaster got jumped from behind."

"He was distracted." A voice from the shadow stated.

"Great. The Bats here contaminating the crime scene." Bullocks muttered.

"How you figure that one?" Montoya enquired.

"Sportsmaster never saw his killer. If he had seen him then the shot would have been to the face not the back of the skull." Batman stated.

"That makes sense. Have any idea on why he was killed?" Montoya asked.

"His real name would help." Bullocks added

"None so far. As for his name it's Lawrence Crock." Batman answered.

Montoya surveyed the scene before asking "Anything else?"

"He's gone Montoya."

* * *

Twenty Minutes later

Crock household

"Think we should knock?" Montoya asked.

"There's no one inside." Batman emerged from the shadows.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Bullocks glared at Batman.

"You've been inside already?" Montoya asked.

"Yes."

"Anything stand out?" Bullocks asked.

"Crock had two daughters. One of them left about two months ago. The other left earlier tonight." Batman stated.

"Selling his kids for money can the man sink any lower?" Montoya gritted her teeth.

"I doubt that. Sportsmaster probably promised the daughter he left to whoever killed him." Bullocks postulated.

"We need to find her she is more than likely the key to this whole thing." Montoya nodded.

* * *

The next night Noonan's

Tommy leaned back in his chair as he drank a beer. Training Jade was tiring, but well worth it.

"Word of the grapevine is that Crock ate a bullet." Ringo sat down next to Tommy.

"When?"

"Last night."

"Cops have any leads?"

"None so far."

A loud shout from Six-Pack caused Tommy to turn around. In the doorway was Harvey Bullocks with five cops in full riot gear. "Alright I'm here to see if any of you know anything about a murder that happened yesterday." Harvey shouted.

Tommy stood up. "You mean Crock eatin' a bullet?"

"How you know that one, Hitman?" Harvey glared at Tommy.

"Ringo just told me. Let's take this outside before your men need their gear." Tommy walked towards Harvey.

"Now that's convenient." Harvey signaled the other cops to stand down.

As they went outside Tommy took the opportunity to look into Bullocks mind, like he had guessed this was a fishing expedition. "Where's your partner?" He asked.

"She's talking with his widow." Harvey glared as he pulled out a cigar.

"Crock had no shortage of enemies." Tommy used his lighter to light the cigar.

"No shit Sherlock."

"Look I don't like Crock that doesn't mean I killed the guy."

"I figured as much couple of our feelers said that there was no hit on Crock."

"Then why come here like the Gestapo?"

"Better safe than sorry."

"Figured as much."

"Look I know you Hitman you wouldn't have come out here unless you knew something." Bullocks exhaled smoke into Tommy's face.

"You're right Bullocks. One of his daughters is staying at my place." Tommy lowered his shades.

"How long?"

"Two months. I'll come by the station tomorrow with her."

"Good."

* * *

Next day

Outside a GCPD Precinct

Jade looked at the GCPD building confused. "Why are we here?"

"Your dad was killed two nights ago." Tommy stated.

"What?" Jade nearly tripped over the top step leading into the precinct.

"I know, I should've told you sooner." Tommy opened the door.

* * *

Inside the Precinct

Renee sighed as she sat down in her chair. Her talk with Pamela Crock had not turned up any promising leads. She looked across at Harvey who was watching the door intently. "You got something yesterday didn't you?"

"Yeah found one of the girls." Harvey's gaze never left the door.

"Which one?"

"The oldest."

"How you find her?"

"Fishing at Noonan's."

"Who'd you ask?" Renee asked. Before Harvey could answer the doors to the bullpen opened. Renee turned around and saw Tommy Monaghan walk in with an eight year girl with him.

"Nice to see you didn't skip town." Harvey stated.

"Nothin' to hide so why should I've." Tommy responded.

"So you're Jade." Harvey looked at the girl.

"Yes." Jade nodded.

"Let's move into someplace more private." Renee suggested.

"Good idea." Harvey led them to an interrogation room.

"I know you two are straight, but I'd like to be in there as well." Tommy stated.

"That's fine with me." Renee nodded.

As they entered the interrogation room Tommy walked to the wall behind the chair Jade sat down on.

"I know this is hard for you kid, but we need to do this." Renee explained.

"I know. What you want to know?" Jade asked.

"Let's start with why you ran away." Bullocks pulled a cigar from his pocket.

"I wanted get out of my dad's shadow by joining the Shadows." Jade answered.

"The Shadows?" Renee inquired.

"A global group of lowlife scumbags; saw two of their members' massacre a village in Tynanda." Tommy cut in.

"And you're not a lowlife?" Renee raised an eyebrow.

"Not denyin' that, but I don't kill innocent people." Tommy crossed his arms.

"So you wanted to get into the hitman business?" Harvey looked at Jade intently.

"Yes." Jade answered.

"Any reason you went to Monaghan instead?" Renee probed.

"Tynanda." Jade responded.

"Tynanda?" Harvey eyes locked on Tommy's shades.

"Let's just say I helped in the coup." Tommy shrugged.

"More like you played a big role in it." Renee countered.

"You can't prove if I did have a role in it Montoya." Tommy smirked.

"So you left home to join the Shadows, but ran into Tommy over here and asked him to train you?" Harvey summarized.

"Yes." Jade voice was nearly a whisper.

"Why is that even freakin' relevant?" Tommy snapped.

"Because her younger sister went missing the night Crock was killed." Harvey answered.

"Harvey I think the interview is over." Renee motioned over to Jade, who had tears streaming down her face.

"You're right. Thanks for the help Jade." Harvey held the door open as Jade and Montoya. Tommy got near the door Harvey grabbed him and pushed him up against the wall. "If you even think about making that girl a killer… I'll kill you."

"I never planned to make her one." Tommy answered.

"Good." Harvey let go of Tommy.

* * *

Three Weeks Later

Tommy's apartment

Tommy looked at Jade's sleeping form. After learning of her sister's disappearance Jade had thrown herself into mastering what he had to teach her. He walked over to his phone and dialed waiting for the person on the other end to pick.

"I'm not doing the heist Copplepot?" A clearly annoyed female growled on the other end.

"You really need to get caller ID Selina." Tommy smirked.

"Monaghan, why are you calling?" Selina asked.

"Callin' in the favor you owe me."

"I don't owe you anything Monaghan."

"Cat if it weren't for me you'd be six feet under or being used as the Demons fuck toy." Tommy countered.

"Fine… what you need me to steal."

"Nothing like that, you know Pam's oldest. I want you to train her."

"Why do you think I'll wouldn't just call the tipline and let them know she's staying with you?" Selina growled.

"Montoya and Bullocks know she lives with me."

"Why haven't they made a move to put her in custody? Even you don't have that kind of blackmail on those straight arrows."

"Lesser of the two evils cat."

"I see your point." Selina sighed.

"So we have a deal?"

"Yes, we have a deal."

* * *

Unknown Location

David Cain looked at Artemis as she performed the katas in his training room. She had the drive to become an assassin. "So this is the girl you think can become the new "Who is All?"" Ra's Al Ghul voice made Cain exit his inner musings.

"Yes I do."

"I can already see she has potential." Ra's looked at Artemis' form.

"That she does, a pity that her father was squandering it." Cain snorted.


End file.
